Soil-climate effects on nitrate leaching from cattle excreta
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Authors: W. L. Stout, W. J. Gburek, R. R. Schnabel, G. J. Folmar, and S. R. Weaver
Date: 1998
Journal: Journal of Environmental Quality
Volume: 27
Number: 5
Pages: 992-998
Summary of Methods: This study was conducted on two sites in Pennsylvania to measure NO3-N leaching loss from spring-, summer-, and fall-applied urine and summer applied feces beneath N-fertilized orchardgrass (Dactyls glomerata) using large drainage lysimeters installed in two soils that differed greatly in soil water storage capacity. Compared to the Hagerstown soil, the Hartleton soil provided an 85% decrease in plant N uptake, a 52% increase in leachate volume, but no significant increase in NO3-N leaching beneath urine spots. However, the lower soil water-holding capacity of the Hartleton soil cause the NO3-N leaching losses to be more evenly distributed over the year. The authors caution dairy farmers in the northeast USA continue to increase use of management intensive grazing, the amount of N leached to the groundwater from beneath urine patches could become substantial and have on- and off-farm impacts.
Article Summary / Main Points: None
Vegetation Types:
MLRA Ecoregions:
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Rangelands Wildlife
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: management intensive grazing, northeast united states, nitrogen, urine, no3-n leaching, feces, orchardgrass, dactyls glomerata, soil water storage capacity
Annotation: The study was conducted at two sites in the Ridge and Valley physiographic province of Pennsylvania. One site was at The Pennsylvania State University Dairy Research Center near State College, PA, on a Hagerstown silt loam (fine, mixed, mesic Typic Hapludalf), and on a private farm near Leck Kill, PA, on a Hartleton channery silt loam (loamy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Typic Hapludult). Lysimeter installation and data collection began in April 1993 at the State College site and in April 1994 at the Leck Kill site. Data collection continued for 3-years at each site, ending in March 1996 at State College and March 1997 at Leck Kill. Pastures were grazed until height was reduced to 7.5 cm. The lysimeters were managed by harvesting all herbage above 7.5 cm by cutting.
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